capacity
actual or potential ability to perform or withstand: a capacity for hard work
Not to be confused with:
ability – a general word for power, native or acquired, enabling one to do things well: an ability for math
faculty – a natural ability for a particular kind of action: a faculty for choosing the right friends
talent – native ability or aptitude in a special field: a talent for art or music
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
ca·pac·i·ty
(kə-păs′ĭ-tē)n. pl. ca·pac·i·ties
1.
a. The ability to receive, hold, or absorb something: the storage capacity of a car's trunk.
b. The maximum amount that can be contained: a bin filled to capacity.
2. The power to learn or retain knowledge; mental ability.
3.
a. The ability to do, make, or accomplish something; capability: a comedian's capacity for making people laugh.
b. The maximum or optimum amount that can be produced: factories operating below capacity.
4. The quality of being suitable for or receptive to specified treatment: the capacity of elastic to be stretched.
5. The position in which one functions; role: in your capacity as sales manager.
6. Legal qualification or authority: the capacity to make an arrest.
7. Electricity Capacitance.
adj.
Filling a space with the most it can hold: a capacity crowd at the concert.
[Middle English capacite, from Old French, from Latin capācitās, from capāx, capāc-, spacious; see capacious.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
capacity
(kəˈpæsɪtɪ)n, pl -ties
1. the ability or power to contain, absorb, or hold
2. the amount that can be contained; volume: a capacity of six gallons.
3.
a. the maximum amount something can contain or absorb (esp in the phrase filled to capacity)
b. (as modifier): a capacity crowd.
4. the ability to understand or learn; aptitude; capability: he has a great capacity for Greek.
5. the ability to do or produce (often in the phrase at capacity): the factory's output was not at capacity.
6. a specified position or function: he was employed in the capacity of manager.
7. (Units) a measure of the electrical output of a piece of apparatus such as a motor, generator, or accumulator
8. (Electronics) electronics a former name for capacitance
9. (Computer Science) computing
a. the number of words or characters that can be stored in a particular storage device
b. the range of numbers that can be processed in a register
10. (Computer Science) the bit rate that a communication channel or other system can carry
11. (Law) legal competence: the capacity to make a will.
[C15: from Old French capacite, from Latin capācitās, from capāx spacious, from capere to take]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ca•pac•i•ty
(kəˈpæs ɪ ti)n., pl. -ties,
adj. n.
1. the ability to receive or contain: This hotel has a large capacity.
2. the maximum amount or number that can be received or contained; cubic contents; volume: a jug with a capacity of two quarts.
3. power of receiving impressions, knowledge, etc.; mental ability.
4. actual or potential ability to perform, yield, or withstand.
5. quality or state of being susceptible to a given treatment or action: Steel has a high capacity to withstand pressure.
6. position; function; role: to serve in an advisory capacity.
7. legal qualification.
8.
adj. a. capacitance.
b. maximum possible electrical output.
9. reaching maximum capacity: a capacity crowd.
[1375–1425; < Middle French < Latin capācitās <capāx capacious]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ability
– capability – capacityDo not confuse ability with capability and capacity.
1. 'ability'
You often use ability to say that someone can do something well.
He had remarkable ability as a musician.
...the ability to bear hardship.
2. 'capability'
A person's capability is the amount of work they can do and how well they can do it.
...a job that was beyond the capability of one man.
...the director's ideas of the capability of the actor.
3. 'capacity'
If someone has a particular capacity, a capacity for something, or a capacity to do something, they have the qualities required to do it. Capacity is a more formal word than ability.
...their capacity for hard work.
...his capacity to see the other person's point of view.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. | capacity - capability to perform or produce; "among his gifts is his capacity for true altruism"; "limited runway capacity"; "a great capacity for growth" capability, capableness - the quality of being capable -- physically or intellectually or legally; "he worked to the limits of his capability" incapacity - lack of physical or natural qualifications |
| 2. | capacity - the susceptibility of something to a particular treatment; "the capability of a metal to be fused" resistance - the capacity of an organism to defend itself against harmful environmental agents; "these trees are widely planted because of their resistance to salt and smog" susceptibility, susceptibleness - the state of being susceptible; easily affected activity - (chemistry) the capacity of a substance to take part in a chemical reaction; "catalytic activity" | |
| 3. | capacity - the amount that can be contained; "the gas tank has a capacity of 12 gallons" volume - the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object; "the gas expanded to twice its original volume" vital capacity - the maximum amount of air that can be exhaled after a maximum inhalation (usually tested with a spirometer); used to determine the condition of lung tissue | |
| 4. | capacity - the maximum production possible; "the plant is working at 80 per cent capacity" production - (economics) manufacturing or mining or growing something (usually in large quantities) for sale; "he introduced more efficient methods of production" | |
| 5. | capacity - a specified function; "he was employed in the capacity of director"; "he should be retained in his present capacity at a higher salary" | |
| 6. | capacity - (computer science) the amount of information (in bytes) that can be stored on a disk drive; "the capacity of a hard disk drive is usually expressed in megabytes" computer science, computing - the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures indefinite quantity - an estimated quantity formatted capacity - (computer science) the usable capacity of a disk drive; the amount of space that is left after the sector headings and boundary definitions and timing information have been added by formatting the disk unformatted capacity - (computer science) the total number of bytes on a disk including the space that will be required to format it | |
| 7. | capacity - an electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is stored electrical phenomenon - a physical phenomenon involving electricity | |
| 8. |  capacity - the power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behaviorability, power - possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done; "danger heightened his powers of discrimination" prescience, prevision - the power to foresee the future incapacity - lack of intellectual power | |
| 9. | capacity - tolerance for alcohol; "he had drunk beyond his capacity" tolerance - the power or capacity of an organism to tolerate unfavorable environmental conditions |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
capacity
noun
1. ability, power, strength, facility, gift, intelligence, efficiency, genius, faculty, capability, forte, readiness, aptitude, aptness, competence or competency Our capacity for giving care, love and attention is limited.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
capacity
noun1. Physical, mental, financial, or legal power to perform:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
سِعَه، إتِّساعصِفَه، مَكانَه، بِصِفَتِهِقُدْرَةقُدْرَه
kapacitapostaveníschopnost
kapacitetstillingegenskabevne
kapasiteetti
kapacitet
befogadóképességminőségében
getarúmtak; rÿmistaîa
収容力
수용량
pareigospostastalpa
dotībasspējasstāvoklistilpums
kapacita
prostornina
kapacitet
ปริมาณสูงสุดที่รับได้
khả năng
capacity
[kəˈpæsɪtɪ]A. N
1. [of container etc] → capacidad f; (= seating capacity) → cabida f, aforo m (Aut) → cilindrada f; (= carrying capacity) → capacidad f de carga
what is the capacity of this hall? → ¿cuántos caben en esta sala?
filled to capacity → al completo
what is the capacity of this hall? → ¿cuántos caben en esta sala?
filled to capacity → al completo
2. (= position) → calidad f
in my capacity as Chairman → en mi calidad de presidente
in what capacity were you there? → ¿en calidad de qué estabas allí?
I've worked for them in various capacities → he trabajado para ellos desempeñando distintas funciones
in my capacity as Chairman → en mi calidad de presidente
in what capacity were you there? → ¿en calidad de qué estabas allí?
I've worked for them in various capacities → he trabajado para ellos desempeñando distintas funciones
3. (= ability) → capacidad f
her capacities → su capacidad or aptitud
her capacity for research → su capacidad or aptitud para la investigación
to work at full capacity [machine, factory] → funcionar a pleno rendimiento
her capacities → su capacidad or aptitud
her capacity for research → su capacidad or aptitud para la investigación
to work at full capacity [machine, factory] → funcionar a pleno rendimiento
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
capacity
[kəˈpæsɪti] n [container] → capacité f, contenance f
(= ability) → aptitude f
[factory] → rendement m
to work at full capacity → travailler à plein rendementcapacity audience n
They were hoping for a capacity audience → Ils espéraient faire salle comble.capacity crowd n
There was a capacity crowd → Il n'y avait plus une place de libre.
to work at full capacity → travailler à plein rendementcapacity audience n
They were hoping for a capacity audience → Ils espéraient faire salle comble.capacity crowd n
There was a capacity crowd → Il n'y avait plus une place de libre.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
capacity
n
(= cubic content etc) → Fassungsvermögen nt, → (Raum)inhalt m; (= maximum output) → Kapazität f; (= maximum weight) → Höchstlast f; (Aut, = engine capacity) → Hubraum m; filled to capacity → randvoll; (hall) → bis auf den letzten Platz besetzt; seating capacity of 400 → 400 Sitzplätze; to work to capacity → voll ausgelastet sein; working at full capacity → voll ausgelastet; the Stones played to capacity audiences → die Stones spielten vor ausverkauften Sälen
(= ability) → Fähigkeit f; his capacity for learning → seine Lern- or Aufnahmefähigkeit; he has a great capacity for work → er kann sehr gut arbeiten; this work is within/beyond his capacity → er ist zu dieser Arbeit fähig/nicht fähig
(= role, position) → Eigenschaft f, → Funktion f; in my capacity as a doctor → (in meiner Eigenschaft) als Arzt; speaking in his official capacity as mayor, he said … → er sagte in seiner Eigenschaft als Bürgermeister …; in a personal capacity → als Privatperson; they refused to employ him in any capacity whatsoever → sie lehnten es ab, ihn in irgendeiner Form zu beschäftigen
(= legal power) → Befugnis f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
capacity
[kəˈpæsɪtɪ]1. n
a. (Elec, Phys) (of container) → capacità; (of lift) → capienza
seating capacity → capienza
filled to capacity → pieno/a zeppo/a
to work at full capacity (factory) → lavorare a pieno ritmo
seating capacity → capienza
filled to capacity → pieno/a zeppo/a
to work at full capacity (factory) → lavorare a pieno ritmo
b. (position) → posizione f, funzione f
in my capacity as chairman → nella mia veste di presidente, in qualità di presidente
in an advisory capacity → a titolo consultativo
in his official capacity → nell'esercizio delle sue funzioni
in my capacity as chairman → nella mia veste di presidente, in qualità di presidente
in an advisory capacity → a titolo consultativo
in his official capacity → nell'esercizio delle sue funzioni
c. (ability) → capacità
this work is beyond my capacity → questo lavoro è al di là delle mie possibilità
this work is beyond my capacity → questo lavoro è al di là delle mie possibilità
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
capacity
(kəˈpӕsəti) – plural caˈpacities – noun1. ability to hold, contain etc. This tank has a capacity of 300 gallons.
2. ability. his capacity for remembering facts.
3. position. in his capacity as a leader.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
capacity
→ قُدْرَة kapacita kapacitet Kapazität χωρητικότητα capacidad kapasiteetti capacité kapacitet capacità 収容力 수용량 capaciteit kapasitet zdolność capacidade способность kapacitet ปริมาณสูงสุดที่รับได้ kapasite khả năng 容量Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
ca·pac·i·ty
n. a capacidad;
vital ___ → ___ vital.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
capacity
n (pl -ties) capacidad f; forced vital — capacidad vital forzadaEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.